This invention relates generally to a pitcher, and more specifically to a pitcher for pouring liquids, such as water, into another container for consumption. The invention relates primarily to pitchers of this type that are used in hospitals, nursing homes, and the like.
It is a practice in many hospitals to provide each new patient with certain items that will remain his. A water pitcher is one such item. Because of the large number of patients and the conditions under which the pitchers are used, the pitcher must be relatively inexpensive, yet durable, safe and easy for the patient to use. It must also be designed to maintain sanitary conditions and for ease in handling by the hospital attendants.
Such pitchers are generally known in the art. Examples of these are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,841,528, 3,180,540, D206,345, and D200,018. Typically, such pitchers have a container portion, a lid that overlies the opening at the top of the container, and a spout through which the contents may be poured. In some cases the spout and/or spout opening are formed in the container portion, and in others they are formed in the lid. Typically, the lid may be either a snap on type such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,540, or hinged as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,841,528 and D200,018. Known pitchers may also include a handle such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,528, and a cover, or hinged flap, that overlies the spout opening such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,540.
The present invention represents a significant improvement over these known pitchers. The pitcher of the present invention generally comprises a container portion, and a hinged lid at the top thereof allowing pivoting of the lid between an open position for access to the interior of the container and a closed position overlying the top of the container. A spout opening, through which the contents are poured, is located at the hinge, and a handle preferably is located at the side of the pitcher opposite the spout opening. This means that the contents are poured, and the lid opens, in a direction away from the handle. The lid has an extension which is readily engaged by the thumb for prying the lid open while grasping the handle, the handle providing leverage for opening the lid.
The invention provides several important advantages. To appreciate these advantages, it must be remembered that a pitcher for use in a hospital or similar environment must be free of contamination and otherwise safe for the patient. With this invention, the lid is secure during pouring and yet easily opened for refilling and the like without requiring handling of the interior portions of the pitcher which might otherwise become contaminated. Because the lid is hinged at the spout opening, the force of the water and ice, as they are directed toward the spout opening during pouring, is at the location where the lid is hinged so that the hinge itself acts to hold the lid closed where most of the force is directed. Only a small snap is required at the side of the lid opposite that of the hinge to hold the lid securely closed during pouring. This small snap is easily overcome by prying upwardly with the thumb on the lid extension, aided by the leverage provided by the handle. The extension provides a convenient means for opening the lid at a location sufficiently remote from the spout and other areas contacted by the contents of the pitcher to minimize contamination that might otherwise result from touching those areas. Also, with the lid hinged at the location of the spout opening, considerable leverage is applied by use of only the small snap or the like at the side of the lid opposite the spout to ensure a tight seal between the lid and the top of the container portion, particularly at the locations nearest the spout opening, to prevent leakage between the lid and the container.
In one embodiment of the invention, the entire pitcher may be of molded, one-piece, plastic construction, and thus inexpensive with the advantage that the lid, container and handle require no assembly and are permanently attached together for ease in handling. In other embodiments of the invention, the container portion may include a disposable cup portion supported at the top by a ring portion such that the cup portion is easily replaced. In both embodiments, with the lid hinged at the side opposite the handle, the lid and handle tend to balance with the lid open so that the pitcher is stable in an upright position even when empty for ease in filling. This eliminates the need to hold the pitcher upright with one hand while trying to fill it with the other.
Further in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the lid is hinged to allow the lid to hang generally vertically when fully open.
Also, there may be included a hinged flap, which is also of molded, one-piece, plastic construction, and which swings between a closed position overlying the spout opening with the pitcher in the upright position, and an open position when the pitcher is tilted for pouring. The flap is readily snapped into place during assembly so that no pins or the like are required. The flap includes a cover portion which overlies the spout opening, and a radius arm means extending therefrom forming an acute angle with the cover portion, whereby as the flap swings open, the entire cover portion moves upwardly and away from the spout opening to a limited open position so that in the open position the cover portion of the flap acts to direct the liquid contents out of the container in a controlled manner. Ice guards extend over the spout opening to prevent ice and other large objects from passing through the opening. The guards provide another important function by retaining the flap in the event the flap comes loose from the lid, so that the flap will not fall into the drinking receptacle.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be further discussed and will be apparent from the drawing and detailed description to follow.